How to keep up with demand and work, etc

[Bill1234]

I do auto detailing for friends, I recently did this jeep detail http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/auto-detailing-101/69421-finally-doing-jeep-detail.html I had to go out and buy clay during the detail and I also have others asking for me to do their cars. How do you all keep up with demand, I have to keep buying products so quickly. For my next detail, I might have to do a gmc denali, probably contaminats, swirls and chrome rims

[lunchboxmunchy]

IMO, you should always have a little bit of everything. I feel it's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. I have some products that i've yet to use, but i've also come across times that i'm thankful that I did have it. That's just my $0.02.

[Bill1234]

that is a good point, I had a similar idea. Buy stuff that you will not use until you really need it. I bought mothers wheel and tire, but bought an extra in case, I actually needed it later as I was working on the car shown above.

[A-train]

I detail part time like you. I always try to make sure I have my staple products on hand and usually buy those by the gallon. I usually do an inventory of products I've used every week or so to see where I'm at.
I also am somewhat choosey in my product selection in the sense that if I run short on a certain product that I have other that can fulfill the task...they may not be my favorite or my go to but they will get they job done. So good quality versatile products are key.
For example if I run out of CG leather cleaner, I've got Meg's Apc I can use and so on and so forth.

[VP Mark]

Have versatile multi use products.

Buy in bulk. One time use products are no good if you are in business.

Keep your product inventory SMALL. Write down every product you use and for what, then ask yourself what you can eliminate, pick one product for that use, and purchase plenty of it.

Having less products means less inventory and tracking. I run about 20 products total(chemical wise) and am really trying to whittle that down to 15 total. You will find your work actually improves when you have less products as you will get better with their use and will eventually 'master' them.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using AG Online

[garyg7133]

Agree with Mark. Add to that keeping a close eye on what you use DURING the work and what size cars use a certain amount of material. This way you know going in that you will need at least "X" amount to do the job. Personally I seem to go through a ton of wheel cleaner so I always buy it when I can get a deal even if I don't need it at the time. Keeping up with demand is a different story. This summer I've worked 5 days at my f/t job and have been working at least 1 of my days off detailing but it's been 2 for the most part and I am getting a little crazy trying to get people in without compromising my work. This weekend a customer actually dropped his car off at my house so I could get him in.

[Bill1234]

For example, I had to go out and by wheel cleaner as I had to get more. I was thinking about buying non acidic wheel cleaner by the gallon and other products that dont use alot by the standard bottle